What is your Leadership Style?

This question was posed to me recently and it got me curious as cats get killed in the process.. Most of us have interactions with leaders on day to day basis in our work, social,political lives its not the lack of style the calls for lamentation but its the lack of leadership itself.

The following quote resonates my idea about leadership. “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu…

I remember reading Imran Khan’s response on the question of leadership. He said a leader should have:

1. Guts
2. Put the team first.

Yet as Bonaparte says a leader is a dealer in hope. We may have met but surely we have read about some of these inspiring leaders. And in my research I did find some material on different styles which I find interesting and worth sharing. So here we go!

There is no such thing as a born leader. Leadership is an acquired attribute that begins early in school and on the playground. Some children develop take-charge attitudes, some make friends fast, while others are happy just to make the team. As time goes on, education, jobs, and life experiences shape a leader's philosophy and psychology. How best to get the job done and work with others? How to set goals and objectives and manage their results? The answers to these questions become a leader's winning formula for success.

Leadership lives in how we think, not what we think.

Consider the eight leadership styles outlined here and the real-world leaders who exemplify them. If you are aware of these different ways of leading, you can adapt your style to manage circumstances and advance your intended goals. How do you decide which styles to employ? Read, reflect, and go experiment.

Transformational - Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela

• Expects team to transform even when it's uncomfortable
• Counts on everyone giving their best
• Serves as a role model for all involved

When

• To encourage the group to pursue innovative and creative ideas and actions
• To motivate the group by strengthening team optimism, enthusiasm, and commitment

Impact

• Can lead to high productivity and engagement from all team members
• Team needs detailed-oriented people to ensure scheduled work is done

Servant - Herb Kelleher

Cofounder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, famously said "the business of business is people" and created a company culture that reflects that philosophy. He once took an interior office with no windows rather than encourage the traditional view of an office as a status symbol.

• Puts service to others before self-interest
• Includes the whole team in decision making
• Provides tools to get the job done
• Stays out of limelight, lets team accept credit for results

When

• When leader is elected to a team, organization, committee, or community
• When anyone, at any level of the group, meets the needs of the team

Impact

• Organizations with these leaders often seen on "best places to work" list
• Can create a positive culture and lead to high morale

Charismatic - Winston Churchill, Adolph Hitler

• Influences others through power of personality
• Acts energetically, motivating others to move forward
• Inspires passion

When

• To spur others to action
• To expand an organization's position in the marketplace
• To raise morale

Impact

• Can create risk that a project or group will flounder if leader leaves
• Leader's feeling of invincibility can ruin a team by taking on too much risk

Innovative - Richard Branson, Thomas Edison

• Grasps the entire situation and goes beyond the usual course of action
• Can see what is not working and brings new thinking and action into play

When

• To break open entrenched, intractable issues
• To create a work climate for others to apply innovative thinking to solve problems, develop new products and services

Impact

• Risk taking is increased for all
• Failures don't impede progress
• Team gains job satisfaction and enjoyment
• Atmosphere of respect for others' ideas is present

Command and Control -- Indira Gandhi, Narendra Modi

• Follows the rules and expects others to do the same

When

• In situations of real urgency with no time for discussion
• When safety is at stake
• In critical situations involving financial, legal, or HR issues
• In meeting inflexible deadlines

Impact

• If used too much, feels restrictive and limits others' ability to develop their own leadership skills
• Others have little chance to debrief what was learned before next encounter with leader

Laissez-Faire - Warren Buffet

• Knows what is happening but not directly involved in it
• Trusts others to keep their word
• Monitors performance, gives feedback regularly

When

• When the team is working in multiple locations or remotely
• When a project, under multiple leaders, must come together by a specific date

Impact

• Effective when team is skilled, experienced, and self-directed in use of time and resources
• Autonomy of team members leads to high job satisfaction and increased productivity

Pace Setter - Sgt Emil Foley in “ An Officer and A Gentleman.

• Sets high performance standards for self and the group
• Epitomizes the behavior sought from others

When

• When staff are self-motivated and highly skilled, able to embrace new projects and move with speed
• When action is key and results are critical

Impact

• Cannot be sustained too long, as staff may "burn out" from demanding pace
• Results delivered at a speed staff can't always keep up with

Situational - Dwight Eisenhower., General George Patton

• Links behavior with group's readiness
• Includes being directing and supportive, while empowering and coaching

When

• Where ongoing procedures need refinement, reinvention, or retirement

Impact

• Can be confusing if behavior changes unpredictably and too often
• Can reduce uncertainty as leader adapts behavior appropriately